[svxcess]

Since I was putting in the new high-output alternator, I have come up with and completed a cleaner version of the alternator wiring mod, which actually removed some of the original wires that the wiring upgrade made unnecessary. So I fabricated the new wires ahead of time and they were installed by svxfiles and myself when we installed the new alternator.

First a little history:

ORIGINAL CONFIGURATION added three wires to the electrical system:

.....▪ 4 gauge power wire from the alternator charging post to the positive terminal of the battery.
.....▪ 4 gauge wire from the negative battery terminal to frame ground.
.....▪ 4 gauge wire from the negative battery terminal to engine ground.


The older original stock wires become corroded and brittle with age at the connectors and the wires themselves, causing resistance and diminished current flow; the same with the ground connections.

With the larger added wiring, there was ample current flow from the alternator to the battery. (The alternator case is its own ground) The engine was now solidly grounded to the battery and the battery was solidly grounded to the chassis. There was about a 2 volt increase that was noticed.

THE IDEA
With alternator current now flowing freely and following the path of least resistance through the new larger wires, the original wires were not being used and seemed redundant. Unnecessary wires that were deteriorating and faulty connectors seemed to be no longer of any use, so why keep them?


Looking inside the original black plastic wiring channel that runs along the rear of the A/C compressor and alternator you will find two white wires that attach to the alternator charging post. One of these goes back to the battery through a fusible link and the other goes to one side of the ignition switch. Using a multimeter, I found that the two white wires have approximately the same voltage at the alternator connection as is measured at the battery.

The two wires from the alternator plug also are housed inside this plastic channel and three wires on top of the A/C compressor enter this channel further down.


NEW CONFIGURATION

Battery negative terminal:
The larger ground wires from the negative battery terminal to frame ground and engine ground are still being used, but the smaller, original ground wire is now useless and was removed. I used a different type of connector for these wires to increase conductivity with a stronger connection.

The plastic wiring channel was opened, the wires removed from inside and the plastic channel was discarded.


Alternator connection:
I removed the two white wires and cut them back about two feet. One of these wires was factory-spliced into three wires close to the battery. I put new ring connectors on each of these wires and connected them directly to the positive post of thebattery. They are still in the circuit and have the same voltage flowing through them, only now they are connected at the battery and not at the alternator.

The alternator plug wires were lengthened, soldered and shrink-wrapped and encased in heat-resistant nylon/ fiberglass braided sleeving and routed behind the alternator and under the intake manifold and reconnected at their original position by the battery. The same thing was done to the two small A/C connectors. These are protected and hidden out of sight for a clean, uncluttered look.

So all that remains is one single 4-gauge power wire, which runs across the top of the engine from the alternator charging lug to the positive battery post, through a 175A inline megafuse for protection. This single wire replaces both of the original white wires originally at the alternator; one of which the original charging wire with the fusible link protection. The fusible link was not removed.

OVERVIEW OF WIRING

All 4 gauge is by “Streetwires” and is high-density, fine strand, 100% oxygen-free copper that has been tinned to prevent corrosion.

All connectors have been crimped, soldered, and sealed with heat-shrink tubing.

All wire splices have been either soldered and shrink-wrapped or use butt connectors which were crimped and covered with shrink wrap.

Connections use a thin dielectric grease coating for corrosion protection.

I am also keeping a log on voltages and performance. On my trip home last night I noticed that, as the brushes in the alternator became broken in and began to seat properly, my voltage increased. By Reading X I should be able to give a full report.

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